“My farm was a little too high up for growing coffee.” Karen Blixen (1885–1962) begins her chapter “Hard Times” with a statement of surrender. This unyielding truth had brought a life both foreign and familiar, beautiful and dangerous, wearisome yet rewarding to a punctilious end. But Blixen’s memoir Out of Africa (1937) does not wrapContinue reading “You Can Do the Right Things and Still Fail”
Category Archives: Struggles
Milestones Missed
“Many children are going to be sad,” our youth pastor said as we discussed reopening children’s ministry in a recent Zoom meeting. “They’ve missed milestones in the last year,” she added. “We need to be prepared for their disappointment about that.” I thought of the church milestones my family missed in the last year andContinue reading “Milestones Missed”
How Is Mourning a Blessing?
While my focus is on mourning, each Beatitude builds on the previous so allow me a minute to address what it means to be both “blessed” and “poor in spirit.” “Blessed” means to be a recipient of divine favor or approval. The opposite of blessed is cursed. There are only two paths, blessed or cursed.Continue reading “How Is Mourning a Blessing?”
Not a Pointless Evil
Throughout the Bible and church history, we see that God uses suffering to prepare and equip His servants for usefulness in His holy work. 2 Cor. 4:8-9 is the norm, not the exception, for those who would serve the Suffering Servant. Suffering is never a pointless evil, but a necessary tool the Lord uses toContinue reading “Not a Pointless Evil”
Resentment
Leo Held was a paragon of respectability. He was a middle-aged, hard-working lab technician who had worked at the same Pennsylvania paper mill for nineteen years. Having been a Boy Scout leader, an affectionate father, a member of the local fire brigade, and a regular church-goer, he was admired as a model in his community.Continue reading “Resentment”
An Open Letter to Those Suffering in the Hospital
Dear Friend, You’ve leaned into your faith so many times before. When fears have stirred you to wakefulness, you’ve turned to Scripture for assurance of God’s love. When anxiety has troubled you, you’ve sung hymns, recited the liturgy, and prayed with your brothers and sisters in Christ. You’ve learned to run to the Lord whenContinue reading “An Open Letter to Those Suffering in the Hospital”
Does Chronic Pain Serve a Purpose?
We have a heavy question today about unalleviated chronic pain. It comes from an anonymous man who listens to the podcast. “Pastor John, hello. Thank you for this podcast, and thank you for taking my question. My mother, a believer, struggles with debilitating — very debilitating — nerve pain and can get no medical reliefContinue reading “Does Chronic Pain Serve a Purpose?”
None of Us Are Unscathed
At the end of the most difficult twelve-month period in the history of air travel, Ed Bastian, the CEO of Delta Airlines, is sounding a note of optimism. Celebrating the steady rise in bookings and the gradual return to normal passenger volumes, he recently said, “As the case counts are coming down in meaningful levels asContinue reading “None of Us Are Unscathed”
Burdening Ourselves to Death
I have several friends in ministry who recently unplugged from social media. When a particular flashbulb, social media incident precipitated angst and outrage on “Christian twitter,” my friends remained calm and steady. When I asked if they had heard about such and such an occurrence, they nonchalantly shrugged it off. I was envious of theContinue reading “Burdening Ourselves to Death”
Why Do We Add to Our Troubles?
The road is narrow. The path is long. The way is rough. Yet God has called each one of us to run the race of the Christian life. Our every step in this great race is taken in the presence of deadly enemies, our every stride opposed by the world, the flesh, and the devil.Continue reading “Why Do We Add to Our Troubles?”
